Dentifrice dispensing device



Sept. 1950 A. MAURO ETAL 2,521,928

DENTIFRICE DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Feb. 12, 1947 19 4 if, a;

JNVENTORS' Arthur Mauro Joli/1 J. Shana/m0 ATTOHNEV Patented Sept. 12, 1950 21. :J:

I pEN'rirRion ZZZZ N G DEVEEJ g Arthur Mauro and John- Shanahan, New York, N. Y;

This invention relates' "to'"toothbrushes; and

aims to provide certain newand useful" improvements involving the combination within a single or unitary body which may be made to simulate a. fountainpen and" which may be carried in the pocket like. a fountain pen, of a, toothbrush and and a dentifrice'feed for the brush. Thus, the user will always have at his disposal for immediate use a toothbrush and the dentifrice therefor, the latter being applied to the brush by a simple operation of feeding the dentifrice out of a receptacle contained within the body.

The above broad as well as additional and more detailed objects will become apparent in the following description wherein characters of reference refer to like-numbered parts in the accompanying drawing. It is to be noted that the drawing is intended for the purpose of illustration only and that it is neither desired nor intended to limit the invention to any or all of the specific details of construction shown excepting insofar as they may be deemed essential to the invention.

Referring briefly to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a front view of the combination unit in a horizontal position.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the article, with both end caps removed and hence ready for use.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the brush carrier or head per se.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral It indicates a central tubular body which may be cylindrical in cross-section, as shown, which encloses a chamber I5 and has threaded nipples II and I2 at the ends thereof. The nipple II is thickened inwardly in a radial direction to provide a relatively thick longitudinal end wall I3, and a threaded axial opening I4 is provided through the wall I3. A cap I6, having a pocket clip thereon, is adapted to engage the external threads of the nipple I I.

The brush head comprises the back member I8 having brush bristles I9 thereon, and which is rounded at the two edges 20 for obvious reasons. The member I8 terminates in approximately the S-shape shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and simultaneously tapers into a nipple 2| which is threaded and engageable in the threads of the opening I4 through the wall I3. A channel 23 is provided "Application-February 12, 1.94.7, Serial No. ma es l Claim. (01122-3401),

through a portion of the length o'f t-hebrush head It, starting at the nipple'2 I and terminating in the region of the-bristles I9-;- atthe latter'point, the channel or outlet 24g turns upward in-a curve, substantially as shown in Fig; -2, to minimize resistance to the new of the dentifrice at the outlet 24'. The inner surface of the'wall I3 within the chamber I5, is tapered substantiallyas shown at 22, to facilitate flow of a dentifrice,

in either liquid or paste form, not shown, from the chamber I5 into the channel 23 of the brush head I8.

A sleeve 25 is threadably engageable on the nipple I2, and is provided with an internal flange 26 in which a plunger 21 is slidably mounted, the latter having a head or piston 28 within the chamber I5. The other end 29 of the plunger 21 is threaded to receive a knob, cap or the like 30. A coiled spring 3I surrounds the plunger between the flange 26 and the cap 30 and normally urges the cap 30 outward and hence 'normally positions the piston 28 in contact with the flange 26. The outer end of the sleeve 25 is threaded to receive a screw cap 33 to enclose the plunger cap 30.

The dentifrice, not shown, may be entered into the chamber I5 by unscrewing the sleeve 25 from the nipple I2, and upon restoring of the sleeve to its original position, the device is ready for use. Normally, the entire unit, as shown in Fig. 1, may be carried in the pocket in the manner of a fountain pen.

To use the device, the end cap 33 is unscrewed to expose the plunger cap or knob 30. Depression of the knob 30 forces the piston 28 into the chamber I5 against the force of the spring 3|. Hence, some of the dentifrice is forced through the channel 23 and emerges through the outlet 24. Thus brushing of the teeth may be accomplished in a simple and convenient manner, without the need of a separate dentifrice container. When the knob 30 is released, the spring 3| restores the piston and plunger to their original positions. To clean the channel 23, if and when required, the head I8 is unscrewed, and a thin wire or pipe cleaner may be pushed therethrough.

The entire device, excepting for the spring 3|, may be made in an attractive form of any one of the so-called plastic materials of which many varieties are available on the market.

Obviously, modifications in form and structure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim.

A device for ejecting dentifrice, comprising a lar sleeve having the same internal diameter and.

the same external diameter as said housing, .said

sleeve having a wall at one end thereof and hav-' 2 ing the other end thereof open, said last-named wall having a reduced axial openin therethrough, said sleeve having an internally threaded flange extending beyond said last-named wall and threadably engaging said nipple thereby axially aligning said sleeveiand said housing, a stem slidably mountedin said last-named axial open- 9 ing and having a piston head on one end thereof positioned in said housing between said walls, the 'other end oi said stem bein threaded, a cylindrical button having the same externaldiameter as, the internaldiamete of said sleeve being slidably mounted insaid sleeve, said button having ;a, threaded-axial bore. therein, said threaded end 4 of said stem registering in said bore of said button, and a coiled compression spring surrounding said stem between said sleeve wall and said button thereby normally urging said button and hence said stem and piston head in direction away from said first-named reduced opening, the length of said stem in relation to the length of said sleeve being such as normally to;position said button partly within said sleeve and partly protruding from said sleeve, said housing being adapted to contain a dentifrice.

ARTHUR MAURO.

JOHN J. SHANAHAN.

REFERENCES CITED v The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name I Date 643,174 Walker Feb. 13, 1900 1,207,121 Feidler Dec. 5119 16 1,236,878 Salvas Aug. 14, 1917 1,526,484 Merrick Feb. 17, 1925 1,742,157 Christian Dec. 31, 1929 2,199,922 McMannis May 7, 1940 

